RFID Tag Nesting in Vial Bottom for Sample Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
RFID tags affixed to biological samples stored in freezers often increase the diameter and height of vials, making them incompatible with standard storage equipment, and labels on vials can fade or become illegible, complicating sample identification and tracking.
Innovation Solution
Techniques for permanently affixing RFID tags to vials without increasing their size, including using a retainer with angled tabs and vents to prevent decompression, and designing vials with specific structures to accommodate RFID tags, ensuring sterility and compatibility with existing equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If RFID tags are affixed to vials using conventional methods, then sample identification and tracking capability is improved, but the diameter and height of vials increase making them incompatible with standard storage equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID tag is nested within a recess cavity formed in the bottom of the vial, allowing the tag to be housed inside the vial structure itself rather than adding external components. This nesting approach enables the RFID functionality to be integrated without increasing the overall vial dimensions, resolving the contradiction between tracking capability and vial size compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The RFID tag is positioned in the vertical dimension at the bottom of the vial within a recess, rather than adding horizontal extensions. By utilizing the vertical space already present in the vial structure, the solution achieves RFID functionality without increasing the vial's footprint or overall volume, maintaining compatibility with standard storage equipment.
2Loss of information
If labels are used on vials for identification, then sample identification is enabled, but labels tend to fade and peal off making identification difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical label system is replaced with an RFID electronic identification system. Instead of relying on physical labels that can fade or peel, the solution uses radio frequency signals to store and retrieve sample identification information, eliminating the reliability issues associated with physical labels while preserving the information retention function.
Solution Approach 2:
The information storage function is copied from physical labels to electronic RFID tags. The RFID tag contains a digital copy of the sample identification information that can be read wirelessly, providing a more reliable alternative to physical labels that degrades over time.
3Reliability
If RFID tags are permanently affixed to vials, then tracking reliability is improved, but vial sterility may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The vial is prepared with a recess cavity for the RFID tag before sterilization. By pre-forming the recess and performing sterilization before tag insertion, the solution maintains sterility integrity while enabling permanent RFID attachment. The recess structure is already in place to receive the tag without compromising the sterile field.
Solution Approach 2:
A retainer component acts as an intermediary between the RFID tag and the vial environment. The retainer provides a barrier that isolates the RFID tag from the sterile interior, allowing permanent attachment while maintaining sterility. This intermediary structure enables both tracking reliability and sterility preservation simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage system for storing samples, such as frozen biological samples in RFID-tagged vials. The storage system has (i) a storage device having a device antenna and (ii) a plurality of storage components adapted to be stored within the storage device, each storage component having a component circuit. Each storage component is configured to store one or more samples. The storage device is configured to (i) transmit electrical power and downlink data signals wirelessly to each storage component via the device antenna and the corresponding component circuit and to (ii) receive uplink data signals from each storage component wirelessly via the corresponding component circuit and the device antenna such that a control system located outside of the dewar can identify any specified storage component stored within the storage device.